Thursday, 29 October 2015

The combination of apple cider vinegar and honey is an effective cure for a multitude of ailments, but it’s an especially powerful tool for weight loss. Apple cider vinegar is naturally highly acidic, but when consumed it turns alkaline, counteracting the effects of excess acids in your diet. Honey also becomes alkaline when consumed, and it has a low pH. It aids in the safe excretion of excess acids. Also, apple cider vinegar just tastes better when mixed with honey.

Apple cider vinegar has many amazing properties that will help you shed pounds. Let’s take a look at what they are and how they work.

It also contains loads of potassium and fibers that keep your blood sugar low, which is essential to losing weight.

It contains essential vitamins and minerals, powerful enzymes, potash, pectin, acetic acid, amino acids, alcoholic acids, propionic acid, and many other beneficial acids, all of which help to speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight without losing vital nutrients.

Sunday, 11 October 2015

What a huge day of Irish sport ahead.. not only do we have some County finals on the go but in Irish Rugby we are taking on the French to see who will finish top of the table in the group stages of the Rugby World Cup... whoever finishes second looks set to face the All Blacks in the quarter finals... so that is a huge incentive to beat the French and miss that feat.
Then right after that we have the Republic of Ireland facing the Polish to secure a spot in the finals at Euro '16... So as I say it will be a huge day in Irish sport. I'm sure there will be many's a hangover tomorrow regardless of any of the results!!

I myself will be staying in to watch all from the comfort of my own home... myself, Amy, the 2 pups and a roaring fire... what could be better??
Some good food... that's what could be better!!!

Here are some ideas for food if you are thinking of making it a family day in like myself...

Saturday, 10 October 2015

Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day... What does that mean to me? Nothing.
From my own point of view it means nothing because at the moment, it is just another day stuck in the struggle over the Dark Side.

Don't get me wrong, I do think that raising awareness is what it is all about, get rid of the dumbass stigma that is associated with mental health problems, however I would imagine that having an awareness day for Cancer (which I know there is, and I fully support as my Father died from it many years ago), but having that day and telling someone that is in the heart of treatment, I'm sure their reaction would be pretty much the same... so fucking what, it is just another day stuck in the struggle! And yes before the trumpets blare and the lynch-mob is called for I did compare the two illnesses...

I compared them because I often tell myself that depression/the black dog/the dark side or whatever you want to call it is in fact the Cancer of the mind... it stops you in your tracks... it affects your life and those around you, it takes a horrible toll on your mind (obviously) and your body and unfortunately it takes many many lives in our parishes, towns, cities, counties and country.

I'm sitting writing this with a crippling feeling within my head and body, I say I'm fine, I want to believe I'm fine but it is there... it's always there... at best it just hovers in the background like a mist that you know will stay a few feet away from you if you face the breeze... and for days-weeks even you are strong and happy enough to always face the breeze. But then some days you waken up and somewhere over the course of a few mins/hours maybe even days you have strolled into the mist, it is there all around you, nipping at you, choking you. If you stay low enough you can maybe escape its poisoning charm, but then you realise it has brought you to your hand and knees and the only slight relief is if you curl into a ball in the corner of your mind or even in reality in a lot of cases... its safety its security, but its not living!

You know if you want to go out the door, to go to work... go to town... even go out into your garden you gotta stand up into that mist and walk forward, despite the choking, the nipping, the negativity, the drama, the gut wrenching anxiety... and I can tell you right now from full on experience, that takes balls!

So maybe on this day or even over the weekend, take a few moments out, text someone, call them, visit... all it takes is a few kind words, a bit of reassurance, a chat over a cuppa... and its not being dramatic to say that you could very well save somebody's life... one way or another.

Thursday, 8 October 2015

I'm down with a bug this past few weeks... and every time I feel like I'm getting better I get hit again!! Possibly 6 years of non-stop work catching up with me... who knows! But here is a quick fire recipe with the goodness of comfort food in it...

Melon and Yogurt Crunch Pots

These are a super healthy, fast and delicious start to the
day… and not a cooker in sight.

Calories 350 each pot

Serves 4:

1 melon or a melon medley pack

Natural low fat yogurt

A handful of bran cereal

A handful of seeds

Honey

Method

Slice the melon into eighths and remove the seeded middle
and the skin, chop roughly into bite sized pieces. Divide them among 4
tumblers, pours some yogurt over the tops, top this with the cereal and seeds
and finish off with a squirt of honey.

Wednesday, 7 October 2015

I know 30 cloves of
garlic might seem excessive but once you taste this you will understand. Plus
the health benefits from garlic alone are worth it.

This is a fantastic casserole to make if you are feeling
under the weather, which I am at the moment!!

30 Garlic Clove-Chicken Casserole

Serves 2

4 chicken legs

Olive oil

2 medium red onions

2 tablespoons of plain flour

200ml dry white wine

200ml chicken stock

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

3 bulbs of garlic

A small bunch of thyme

Method

Preheat oven to 200°c

Joint the chicken legs in 2 pieces between the thigh and
drumstick. Get a large pan nice and hot and heat the oil. Brown off the chicken
in batches, adding them to a large casserole dish when done.

In the same pan add a little oil and reheat, peel and quarter
the red onions and fry off in the pan until slightly coloured all over, add in
the flour and gradually stir in the wine and stock until smooth. Add the
mustard and season with salt and pepper. Allow this sauce to simmer slightly.

Break up the garlic bulbs and count out 30 cloves and add
them to the casserole dish, no need to peel them. Add in the thyme and
carefully pour over the sauce. Place in the oven with the lid on and cook for 1
½ hours.

Serve with some creamy mashed potatoes for the ultimate ‘feel
good’ meal.

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